Okay, okay, you can all stop complaining now...and get ready for more mayhem!
Day 4: Afternoon
Ash sighed, content as he organized his Super NES games in preparation to play.
"Now that Ami's asleep, I can FINALLY relax!" he thought as he selected a game, switched the system on, and began playing, paying no heed to the pounding of Brock's feet as he ran to the back room.
"See...we didn't leave you..." Brock assured Ami as he carried her into Ash's room and got comfortable before the TV, where Ash was busy guiding Mario and Yoshi through enemy infested waters.
Ami climbed to the top of the chair to get a better look at the TV screen. "Azu ri?" she asked, pointing out the controls Ash was gripping.
"Those are controls Ash uses to manipulate the pictures on the screen." Brock explained, reaching for the spare controller that lay next to Ash. "See? The plus makes the person move..." he explained, pointing out the D-pad.
"Zu rill?" Ami interrupted, curious to learn about the pictures dancing across the TV screen.
"Okay, I'll tell you the story of the game..." and Brock grabbed the "Super Mario World" strategy guide Ash was referring to and turned it to the page with the story on it, being careful not to lose Ash's place. "Okay...one day, Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach traveled to a place called Dinosaur Land..." he began, gesturing to the pictures of Mario, Luigi, and Peach at the top of the page. "When they got there, Luigi found a magic feather that gave you a cape when you touched it...so he and Mario used the feathers to fly around and explore. But, when they got back several hours later, Princess Peach was nowhere to be found!"
"Azu ri Azuri?" Ami asked, anxious to know what happened next.
"And then what happened, you ask?" Brock smiled. "Mario and Luigi searched all over for Peach, but didn't find her...that only meant one thing: the evil Bowser had kidnapped Peach!" He paused to point out a picture of Bowser on the right side of the page.
"Rill..." Ami shuddered, afraid of the picture.
"So in order to win the game, you have to defeat Bowser and rescue Peach." Brock concluded, thumbing the guide back to the page Ash was on.
"Rill?" Ami asked, pointing out a spotted object on the screen that Ash was running to catch.
"That's a mushroom..." Brock explained. "If you catch it...Mario gets bigger."
"Azu..." Ami was impressed...until she saw a flower on the screen. "Ril ri?"
"That's a Fire Flower...grab that and you can shoot fire."
Just then, Misty walked in carrying the can of mushrooms from earlier. "Come on, it's time for your dinner." she whispered to Ami as she carried her into the kitchen.
"You know...maybe if you dress up as Mario and tell her the mushrooms will make her bigger, she'll eat them!" Ash suggested, pausing his game long enough to stretch his arms.
"Great idea!" and Brock raced from the room...
---------
"Now, I know I had those overalls here someplace..." Brock mused as he searched his closet. A red shirt, a pair of loafers, a pair of white gloves, a replica Mario hat, and a fake Mario mustache lay in a pile on his bed.
"Looking for these?" Ash asked, holding a pair of overalls in the air.
"Yes, thanks..." Brock took the overalls from Ash and settled in on his bed to put on his makeshift costume...
---------
Meanwhile, Team Rocket watched the house from the security of a large mecha. "There they are...that's where our target is..." James began.
"Now, da plan, again?" Meowth asked as he piloted the large turtle-like mecha into the backyard.
"We wait until the twerps come outside, then grab the Azurill using BOW 3000's tongue, and leave..." James explained. "This isn't a hard operation, you know...
"Okay den..." and Meowth motioned to Jessie. "Scorch da bushes so they can't get away!"
"Beginning Fire Cannon operation..." and Jessie pressed a button on the weapons control panel, causing the turtle mecha to open its mouth and fire a huge flame blast, scorching a small bush.
---------
Ash struggled to stand and balance Brock on his shoulders at the same time. "Gee, what did you have for breakfast today? Cement?" he complained.
"Nope, just the same thing I have for breakfast every day..." Brock replied.
"Well, did you really have go so far as making me be Yoshi?" Ash sighed as he trudged into the kitchen, where Misty was trying again to feed Ami mushrooms.
"Look, Ami..." Misty smiled, pointing in the direction of the entryway. "Mario and Yoshi are here."
"Ril?" Ami gasped in surprise.
"It's-a me, Mario!" Brock started as he climbed off of Ash. Ami just laughed with delight. "You know, those-a mushrooms will make-a you Super, like-a me!"
"Ril..." and Ami opened her mouth, allowing Misty time to shove a mushroom inside. She chewed for a while, swallowed...then cried with surprise as she bounced high into the air. "Ril ril ri!"
"You like them?" Misty asked, offering another spoonful to Ami, until she noticed some charred bushes in the yard. "Guys! There's a big turtle in the yard scorching the bushes!"
Ash suddenly realized what was going on, and who could possibly be doing such a thing as scorching bushes. "Team Rocket!" With that, he led the others outside.
---------
"Oh my..." Ash looked shocked at the large turtle-like monstrosity that was stomping through the yard, scorching any bushes in the way.
"Wha..." Misty was also just as scared. Just then, the mecha's arms reached out and grabbed Ami from Misty's arms! "HEY!"
"AMI!!!" Ash tried his hardest to grab onto the mecha and grab Ami, but was knocked aside as Ami was reeled closer and closer to capture.
"Azuriiii!" Ami cried, trying to get free from the mecha's clutches...
----------
"We've almost got it!" James smailed he reeled Ami up towards the entrance door at the mecha's head. He was about to open the door, when he felt a sudden jolt, followed by the sensation of being lifted in the air. "What was that?"
Meowth looked down at the ground below and watched Ash make a diving catch as Ami slipped from the mecha's arms. "I tink someone lifted us in the air..." Just then, the view from the mecha began to spin around, slowly at first, then getting faster. "and I'm getting dizzy!"
"We're flying off again!" all three Rockets cried as they hurtled into the sky...
---------
"So long-ee, Bowser!" Brock snickered as he watched the mecha disappear with a *ping*
Misty was shocked! "I didn't know you were that strong, Brock!" she began as she led the way inside...
"Easy..." Brock smiled as he began to take off his costume. "When you do a lot of lifting, it just comes naturally...not to mention that the mecha was pretty light to begin with."
"Well...your little princess wants to thank you..." Ash smiled as he watched Ami give Brock a kiss on the cheek...
Day 4, Evening
"I don't know about you, Ami...but I'm tired..." Brock yawned as he watched Misty tuck Ami in for the night.
"She's been through a lot today..." Ash noted. "Including almost getting caught by Team Rocket!"
"Azu azuri Ririril azu ri!" Ami laughed as Misty pulled the covers over her.
"That's right...Mario rescued you...my little princess." Brock cooed. "Now...what should we sing tonight?
"Azu ri ri azu!" Ami begged.
"You want all three of us to sing?" Ash was surprised. He thought for a moment, then asked, "Any ideas for a song we can all sing?"
"Let's do the one about the lion!" Brock suggested, fumbling for a pitch pipe. "Here's your note..." and he blew a single note in Ash's direction.
Ash hummed the note, then began singing
"I-di-di-di-i-di-di-di-di, lee-um-bumba-way...i-di-di-di-i-di-di-di-di, lee-um-bumba-way..."
Brock hummed a drone as Ash sang
"I-di-di-di-i-di-di-di-di, lee-um-bumba-way..." one more time, then led the others into a three part chant of
"A-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh..."
Misty sang a soft backup melody as Ash began to sing over Brock's chant:
"In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight...
In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight..."
Brock continued to sing
"A-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh..." while Ash and Misty sang
"Ooooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, lee-um-bum-bumba-way...Ooooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, lee-um-bum-bumba-way..."
"Near the village, the peaceful village, the lion sleeps tonight..." Ash continued.
"Near the village, the peaceful village, the lion sleeps tonight..."
"Ooooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, lee-um-bum-bumba-way..." Misty joined in with Ash again.
"Ooooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, lee-um-bum-bumba-way..."
Ami laughed with delight as the chorus of three voices: a bass, a harmony, and a melody blended together in a three part chant of
"A-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh, a-wim-o-weh..." once again.
Ash then knelt nearby Ami and quietly sang
"Hush my darling, don't cry, my darling, the lion sleeps tonight...
Hush my darling, don't fear, my darling, the lion sleeps tonight..." He waited for Misty to join him as he sang:
"Ooooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, lee-um-bum-bumba-way...Ooooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, lee-um-bum-bumba-way... The group sang this a few more times, then Ash slowly sang
"I-di-di-di-i-di-di-di-di, lee-um-bumba-way...i-di-di-di-i-di-di-di-di, lee-um-bumba-way..." as he switched off the light, leaving Ami to sleep...
